Tied By A Red Thread
by uss71832
Summary: All that Rachael Mangrove wants to do after moving to NY from New Orleans is to make her store, The Country Crafter a big success. She get that and so much more after meeting Leo and the turtles after a mugging attempt. (I do NOT own TMNT, New Orleans or ANYTHING for that fact!)Does get lemony. so rating and warning given ye.
1. Chapter 1

Rachel cowered underneath the car, heart hammering in her chest, trying not to breathe heavy. A few minutes ago she had closed the door to her new shop with a sense of accomplishment and had turned to see three men towering over her. One of them smiled at her and placed his hand on the glass window behind her.

"Hello sweetheart, we're the welcoming committee. Since you're new here, let me let you know that we're willing to give you a discount on 'protection' for your new shop."

"What do you mean, protection?" She stammered, her New Orleans accent giving her nervousness away.

"Just what we said, Cajun. This is New York and we charge out of state visitors a tax to protect their shops from...accidents." He smiled at her again, leaning forward to blow a breath that smelled like last week's gumbo into her face.

"Well, thank you for your kind hospitality, but I think I'll just say…no!" She ducked under the man's arm and ran. The three took off after her, their laughs as well as curses burned her ears with fear, lending her speed to her footsteps. She ran a few blocks and hid around the corner, pulling out her cell phone. Damn! The thing was dead again. She went to take off again when a large hand grabbed her shoulder and slammed her against the wall. Her head knocked into it and blood dripped into her eyes, stunning her momentarily. The thug threw her against a SUV and she took the opportunity to slide down and rolled under it, trying to think about what to do, trying to clear her head of the pain and dizziness.

"Come out, little Cajun, we just want to party." The man who threw her against the SUV was on his hands and knees, trying to reach under the SUV for her. Another of his friends was on the other side, reaching for her. She screamed and there was a sudden scuffle. The two men disappeared and she heard bangs, slams, yells and then nothing. She waited a few more moments before she ventured out, wiping the blood out of her eyes. The three men were down and tied up, she looked around and felt her knees give out and she fell to the ground.

What must have been a while later, she came to being carried by someone. She moaned and the person stopped.

"Are you all right ma'am?" a man's voice asked. It was kind and full of compassion.

"No. Had a bunch of gators pounding on my head."

The person chuckled and began walking carefully again. "We're almost back to your shop. It's the Country Crafter, right?"

"Hm hum. My apartments are on the third and fourth floors. How did you know?" She tried to open her eyes but they were sealed shut by blood. "I can't open my eyes."

"My brother took a look at it and we've got a makeshift bandage on it. He said that you won't need any stitches, just a good cleaning and fresh bandages. Oh, um you had a card in your pocket."

"Oh, he's a EMT?"

"Well, sort of. What's your name?"

"Rachael, Rachael Mangrove."

"I'm Leonardo. I like your accent. You're not from around here, are you?"

"No, I'm from New Orleans. Just moved here and wondering if I made a BIG mistake."

Leonardo chuckled and the sound vibrated through her bones. "No, at least give the city a chance."

She shifted a little in Leo's arms and brought a hand up. His chest was hard, like he was wearing a bulletproof vest. "Are you a police officer?"

"No, why do you ask that? Hey we're at your shop. Let me have your keys and I'll take you up and get you settled. "

"I usually don't invite strange men to my home, just so you know. I asked that because aren't you wearing a Kevlar vest and did you see who rescued me?"

"Um no; it's kinda sorta complicated and it was myself and my three brothers. Our father taught us how to treat a lady with honor and respect, so don't worry."

"Well, we do look at things differently back in the South. It don't look right, but I ain't got much choice in the matter. Thank you for helpin' me." She pulled her keys out of her pocket and held them up. He adjusted his grip on her and took the keys. She felt two fingers and a thumb take them. A few minutes later Leo opened the apartment and set her down in the bathroom. She had been surprised at his strength, carrying her all the way upstairs without much heavy breathing from exertion. She felt her way to the towel rack and ran warm water on the washcloth she kept there.

"Well, if you're settled, I'll just go on home. Hope you have a better day tomorrow, Miss Mangrove."

"Please don't go yet Leonardo. Let me offer you a little Southern hospitality. Just let me get this cleaned up and…" she trailed off as she scrubbed the blood out of her eyes and got a good look at Leonardo. Her eyes widened and she blinked several times.

Leonardo was an almost six foot tall turtle wearing a blue mask that hid his eyes, sword sheaths in a harness at his back and guards on his knees and elbows, leather bands surrounded his strong wrists.

"Well, I know we have big gators at home, but you're the biggest reptile I've ever seen."

"You're not shocked or afraid?"

She turned to him, thought a moment and realized that she wasn't as shocked or afraid as she should have been. "I've read all the urban legends before I came here, so I was kinda disappointed when I didn't see any sewer gators or twenty foot tall rats. We have a lot of strange things in the bayou ourselves. My daddy also taught us to never judge a person by sight, you might miss the best thing in your life."

Leo gave her a brilliant smile that made her cheeks redden and her heart drop into her stomach. "You should meet Leatherhead and my Master Splinter." He was rather good looking for a turtle, rather buff in fact.

"Well, let me get cleaned up and I'll make you up some tea."

After several minutes of scrubbing and cursing in Creole French, Leo finally took the cloth from her and finished cleaning the cut. He took the ointment and bandage from her and gently taped the wound closed.

"Thank you sir. You are a turtle and a gentleman."

He laughed and allowed her to take him to her living room. In the light he could now look her over. She was about five four, maybe even five five. She had long silver-gold hair. She had braided it up but was now coming out of the braid. She had emerald green eyes with turquoise flecks. Her eyes made his breath catch in his throat. She directed him to the couch.

"You just have a seat and I'll get us some tea and cakes."

She was as good as her word, for minutes after he heard the teakettle whistle, she was back in with a teapot and a tray with cups, crème, sugar, honey, plates and cakes. She put the tray on the table and poured two cups. "Sugar and crème?"

"No, I think that I'll try it without." He took the plate she offered with the cake and cup.

Rachel dropped in two lumps of sugar and poured herself some tea. She noticed him watching her and blushed. Leo's head shot up and he looked toward the door. She looked toward the door as someone knocked on the other side. When she looked back, Leo was gone and his cup and plate was gone.

She got up to answer the door. On the other side were two police officers. "Are you Rachel Mangrove?"

"Yes sir?"

"May we please come in? We heard you were a victim of an attempted mugging. "

"Oh, please come in. Have a seat and let me get you some tea."

"How did you get home?"

"I don't know. One of those men threw me against the wall and I don't remember anything else until I woke up outside my front door with my head bandaged."

One of the officers bent forward to look at her forehead. "Woah, that's pretty nasty. Are you sure you don't need medical attention?"

"We people from the South are a lot tougher than we look. Ever been to Bourbon Street?"

The other officer chuckled and sat down on the couch. "Yeah, I've been a victim of Mardi Gras." She laughed went and then got two more cups and plates. She noticed that Leo's cup and plate were in the sink. She smiled and nodded, walking back into the living room.

The police officers took her report but she never wavered in her story that she gave them. They finally convinced her to go to the hospital to get checked out. Now the right side of her face was purple and bruised. They didn't have to put in stitches but did recommend an antibiotic.

Nothing happened for the next few days. Her small staff of people were appalled about what had happened but being New Yorkers, understood that things needed to be done and the grand opening was in a week, jokingly telling her that a simple mugging wouldn't let them open the store on time.

She kept looking for him on the rooftops at night and thought she saw a shadow on the rooftop on the building across the street one night. She felt silly, but waved at the shadow. The shadow would turn and disappear after this. She couldn't stop thinking about Leo, dreaming about him carrying her in his strong arms. She hadn't lied, she saw him as a person, not just a turtle.

The grand opening went better than she expected. People came in to sign up for classes, yarn and quilting material flying off the shelves. Her retail people were hard put to keep things stocked. She felt very tired but full of accomplishment. She spent several minutes after the closing sitting in the rocking chair by the fake fireplace in the back classroom, working on a wedding quilt, her first New York commission. She had cut the pieces earlier during her lunch and was piecing it together with running stitches. She reached across to her pin case and accidently knocked it off. Before she could try to grab it, a green three-fingered hand caught it deftly without a single pin falling. Leonardo placed the case back on the table.


	2. Chapter 2

"You're real handy to have around."

With only the illumination of the fake fireplace, Leonardo's smile was brilliant as he pulled up a stool and sat down. "Are you all right?" His fingers touched the side of her face, eyes filled with concern. Rachel felt her face tingling where his fingertips touched and a warm blush suffused her cheeks.

"Yes, it's almost healed. The grand opening went really well."

He looked around. "You do all of this?"

"Yes, if it can be done by a needle or otherwise, I can. Mom said I had a gift. I've been doing stuff like this since I was five. I'm surprised that so many 'modern' people still want to learn skills like this." She stretched and laid aside the quilt. "Time to head up, are you interested in the tea you never got to finish?"

"Sure, if you're not too tired."

"Nope, just let me bundle this up." She folded the pieces and led Leo upstairs to the apartment and in a few minutes later she brought in the tea and cakes. She took a moment to listen closely for any knocking at the door before sitting next to Leo.

"A lot of people would consider you a stalker."

"I know, but I had to be sure that you were all right." Leo said. He sipped his tea and looked at her critically. "You must have had some training in the martial arts. Not a lot of people can see a ninja when they're trying to hide from someone."

"A little bit when I was younger. I guess because I do things that I have to concentrate on. Makes me see things that I guess people wouldn't take in consideration. Also growing up in a place like New Orleans, you see a lot of things that other people would consider crazy." She fiddled with her teaspoon, tucking up her legs under her.

"I hope you don't consider me a stalker now." He looked worried.

"I wouldn't have invited you up here if I thought that. I consider you a concered friend. Maybe that's naïve in this day and age, but that's just how I am. If we all acted scared of everyone else, this country would be rather sad to live in. "

Leonardo grinned and put his teacup down, extending his hand. "Then I'm glad to meet you, Rachael Mangrove."

She took it and shook his hand warmly. "I'm glad to meet you too Leonardo."

Months passed and Leonardo visited several times a week. Sometimes they would just talk or they would watch TV together. Sometimes he even helped a bit if she had a project due. His fingers were quite dexterous for being long and thick and having only two fingers and thumb. He was more than willing to pack a car for deliveries or help stock or any other little things that didn't get done during the day.

"This must be boring for you after fighting the Foot, being in the Battle Nexus and other stuff." She commented as she changed the light bulb in her yarn section.

'Actually it's quite relaxing." He commented, holding the ladder steady for her.

"So this is where you've been going." A rough New York voice commented behind her. Leo whirled around and drew one if his katanas. Rachel squeaked and grabbed the ladder tighter, dropping the blown light bulb. A dark green hand snatched the bulb out of midair and pulled it into the darkness.


End file.
